Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

MP denies raising hopes of Pike families

Updated at 10:29 pm on 13 June 2012

Prime Minister John Key says he never raised the expectations of Pike River families about the possibility of recovering the bodies of the 29 men killed in the mine.

After meeting technical experts from Solid Energy, the mine's new owner, most of the families say they have now accepted there is too much risk of further loss of life to try to recover the remains.

Mr Key says he thinks he has always been pretty realistic with the families about the chance of recovering the bodies.

But he says there is still a slim chance if mining began again in the area.

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